Accident or sabotage
In a span of two weeks, four foreign vessels including a mother tanker (LPG carrier) suffered explosions and fires. Four people were killed in these accidents.
Last Saturday, there was a fire incident on the ship BLPG Sophia and Captain Nicholas carrying the flag of Tanzania in the outer anchorage of Chittagong port. Those concerned think that the country’s energy security may be affected by such accidents one after another. A spate of fires aboard these fuel tankers has raised the question – were they mere accidents? Or planned sabotage? Those concerned say that there is no precedent for such a series of accidents in the energy sector in the past. So the threat of sabotage cannot be ruled out.
Director General of Shipping Directorate Commodore Maqsood Alam said that the incident of fire in two oil tankers of Bangladesh Shipping Corporation and the last two tankers is of different nature. The exact cause of the series of fuel tanker fires will not be known until further investigation.
It is reported that a fire broke out in the lighterage ship named BLPG Sophia anchored west of Kutubdia coast of Bay of Bengal, Cox’s Bazar around 1:30 pm last Saturday. After 11 hours of efforts, the fire was brought under control on Sunday afternoon. 31 crew on board were rescued alive. Two of the Coast Guard, five modern ships of the Navy, two tugboats from the Chittagong Port and one tugboat from a private company are working to control the fire and rescue the sailors. The port, coast guard and other agencies could not confirm the cause of the fire.
Coast Guard East Zone media officer Lieutenant Commander Khandaker Munif Taqi said the ship was heading towards Chittagong port. However, it is not known from which country it was coming and how much LPG was there. He said that the Coast Guard and related parties are investigating whether it was an accident or sabotage.
According to sources, the Tanzanian flag carrier MT Captain Nicholas reached the outer anchorage of Chittagong port on October 7 with LPG from several companies in the country. Bashundhara-owned MT Maria, Sophia and Chatki lighter tankers were responsible for discharging LPG from there. Maria apologizes and leaves. The discharge of LPG was completed on the SOFIA vessel on Saturday night but was not separated from the mother vessel. In the meantime, the explosion started a fire. At the same time Captain Nicholas also caught fire. However, the ship’s crew was able to control the fire of the Nicholas under their own management. But the fire on the ship of the Sophia grew rapidly.
The ship’s sailors witnessed the incident and directly participated in the rescue. Farman Ullah Ansari, the captain of that ship, said, “After Sophia, the sheep of our ship were near the mother vessel, so we stayed close.” At that time I got news of the accident. Meanwhile there was a sound and I saw fire. The fire quickly spread to the first and second tankers and the third tanker of the Sofia ship. Port Control and Coast Guard have been informed. Besides asking for cooperation, we have launched an emergency signal. In no time, a tugboat owned by Bashundhara approaches Tufan Express. Nicholas contacted the ship to say they had the fire under control and everyone was safe. As soon as the fire broke out, the sailors of the ship Sophia jumped into the sea. Then rescue them.
On September 30, around 11:30 am, the fire occurred after the explosion in the oil tanker ‘Banglar Jyoti’ owned by Bangladesh Shipping Corporation at Dolphin Jetty of Chittagong port. Three people died in that incident. Then on October 5 another oil tanker named ‘Banglar Sourav’ caught fire at Chittagong Port’s outer anchorage. That ship is also owned by Bangladesh Shipping Corporation. One person died in that incident that day. BSC Managing Director Mahmudul Malek mentioned the fear of ‘sabotage’ in the press conference after the incident. According to him, this incident is an attempt to disrupt national energy security. Regarding the fire in Sofia on Saturday night, he said, “I cannot say directly from my position.” However, the fear cannot be ruled out. The specific reason can be given after the investigation report.
Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) secretary Shahina Sultana said, I know such an incident has never happened before. However, it would not be appropriate to comment at this time. It can be said about the sabotage only after the investigation. The inspector of the Chittagong office of the Directorate of Explosions did not agree to make any comments before the investigation. Tofazzal Hossain too. But he is not ruling out the threat of disruption of national security.
An inquiry committee has been constituted in the incident of fire on MT Captain Nicholas and Sophia ships stationed at Kutubdia Anchorage area of Chittagong Port Authority. Chittagong Port Authority told me
Mahfuzul Haque Shah, former director of Chittagong Chamber, emphasized on investigating whether the organizations have performed their duties properly and whether they were negligent.
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